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Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Interview with author Kate Marie Robins

Author Interview featuring Kate Marie Robins

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I don’t even know where to begin. I’ll talk a little bit about some stuff that isn’t included in my author biography that I’ve included. I love music, art, and literature. I’m a very creative soul. I’m weird, random, and at times, completely crazy. I’m definitely a riot to hang out with, once you actually get to know me.

What do you do when you are not writing?
When I’m not writing, I can be found doing one of the following things: working, reading, drawing/painting, listening to music, singing, dancing, working out, watching Netflix, or sleeping. Oh yes, I lead a very exciting life.

Do you have a day job as well?
I have a part-time job doing laundry at a nursing home.

When did you first start writing and when did you finish your first book?
I’ve been writing poetry since I was about 13. My first book will be published this year. May 25th.

How did you choose the genre you write in?
I’m actually all over the map when it comes to writing. I don’t have one set genre. Fantasy and science fiction seem to be my forte though, just because of the fact that is where a lot of my interests lie.

Where do you get your ideas?
Various places. I don’t think any of my stories came from the same place. Definitely music plays a huge factor into my ideas though.

Do you ever experience writer’s block?
Not often, but yes. Who doesn’t?

Do you work with an outline, or just write?
Both, depending on my mood. With my short stories, I tend to just dive right in and write. With my novels, I tend to write an outline out, but never seem to end up following it very well.

Is there any particular author or book that influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult?
I think every book I’ve ever read has had an influence on me.

Can you tell us about your challenges in getting your first book published?
For me, the biggest challenge was working on the final editing. It was so time consuming and very frustrating. I had so many fears and worries that I would miss things.If you had to go back and do it all over, is there any aspect of your novel or getting it published that you would change?
Not at all. It turned out exactly the way I wanted it to. Though, perhaps I wouldn’t have taken 3 years to put it all together.

How do you market your work? What avenues have you found to work best for your genre?
I’m actually still struggling to figure the whole marketing thing out. Right now I’m mainly using Facebook for everything. Eventually I will need to branch out.

Have you written a book you love that you have not been able to get published?
Nope, granted I haven’t actually written a lot yet.

Can you tell us about your upcoming book?
Book Two of the Indigo trilogy: Roisin is still a surprise to everyone. I haven’t released any of the information on it. I don’t plan on doing so until well after Book One has been released.

What I can tell you a little bit about is my current WIP. J It is a ghost story that is yet to be titled. The gist of it is: A teen girl has been uprooted and moved half way across the country before her senior year of high school. She soon finds out that the room she is now living in used to belong to a boy who committed suicide. The dead boy haunts her dreams. Then one day, the people she cares about start dying. She desperately struggles to figure out why the dead boy is haunting her and what’s really happening to everyone around her.

Is anything in your book based on real life experiences or purely all imagination?
There is a lot of me in Indigo. There is a lot of myself in the main character, Ava.

What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why?
I don’t think I really have a favorite part. I must ponder on this some more.

How did you come up with the title?
Umm.. I honestly can’t remember. I think it was a random conversation with my brother before I started writing.

What project are you working on now?
My next project will be a collection of my poetry.

Will you have a new book coming out soon?
Nothing as of yet. Just Indigo that’s coming out May 25th.

Are there certain characters you would like to go back to, or is there a theme or idea you’d love to work with?
I actually am doing just that. Once I finish with the Indigo trilogy, I’ll be doing a few novellas for some of the characters.

What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?
I actually don’t think I’ve gotten any criticism as of yet, but I’m sure that time will come. Best compliment: I love your imagination, and really enjoy your writing.

Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers?
Write, write, write! Don’t worry about how perfect the first draft is. There is always time to go back and fix your mistakes. It’s more important to get your ideas down on paper.

Is there anything that you would like to say to your readers and fans?
Thank you for all of the love and support. I couldn’t have done it without you guys.

Now onto the fun questions:

Have you ever gone out in public with your shirt on backwards, or your slippers on, and when realizing it, just said screw it?
I actually go out in public with my slippers on quite frequently. I live in a small town, so everything is within a few blocks away. I go to the bank, post office, gas station in them all the time.

Do you prefer fuzzy or tub socks?
I’m actually odd in this regard. I only wear socks with patterns on them or bright colors. My favorite pairs being some Pokemon ones I bought from Hot Topic.

Are you a person who makes their bed in the morning, or do you not see much point?
I don’t see the point. My cat tends to sleep there after I get up anyway.

Be honest, how often do you wash your hair?
Maybe once or twice a week. I have really frizzy hair, so if I wash it a lot it gets unmanageable. Plus I dye my hair with semi-permanent hair color, so washing it often would wash the color out faster and I don’t like that.

Do you get road rage? What pisses you off the most about other drivers?
I’m pretty laid back when it comes to driving. The only things that really annoy me are when people tailgate and during road construction on two lane highways, when it goes down to one lane, the people that use the lane that will be closed, speed up to the front and then try to cut in. Drives me nuts!

Do you go out of your way to kill bugs? Are there any that make you screech and hide?
I don’t go out of my way to kill them. Spiders freak me out. Like to the point of me screaming for someone to come get rid of it, while cowering in a corner, far, far away from where said spider was found.

Coffee or Tea?
Both, on a daily basis.

What is your biggest phobia?
I have several phobias. Biggest one probably being spiders like I mentioned above.

What’s your biggest pet peeve when it comes to social media? (Facebook, Twitter, etc.)
I don’t think that I have one.

Author Bio:
From the makings of her fabulous tennis hits, from the inspiration of her waggish pets, from the riotous air of Minnesota, comes Kate Marie Robbins...
She lives in a VERY small town in southeastern Minnesota with her family and her three pets. She is currently working in a nursing home but has for long dreamed of being a published author- which since you are reading this, has come true. She likes to read, sing, paint and is very proud of her music & book collections. She also wants to travel the world. When she travels the world of Indigo, she would like to learn sword fighting from Bradan, or be a tailor.
Kate once waited to get into a concert for ten hours, in a snow storm. She dyes her hair a different color every few months, and once went to Walmart wearing a black cape and cat ears. She never got into trouble at school, and has not yet achieved her ambition of drinking her way through all twelve pubs pictured on her Irish calendar.

Excerpt from Indigo:

“I don’t expect you to say anything. I just thought that you should know. No, that isn’t why I chose to help you. You needed help. I wasn’t about to let a fellow guard be punished because he doesn’t have a mind for battle strategy. I don’t expect anything in return from you. It’s enough knowing that my ideas will be used to keep us all safe from the Dark Warriors." She turned away, to hide the fact that she was blushing. “It is getting late,” she continued, once she had regained her composure. “We both need to get some sleep, especially you.”
“Yes, of course.” Stupid, stupid, stupid. You cannot leave things like this. Do not walk out of this room without telling her the truth. I had to do it. After all she had done for me, all she was risking for me. I couldn’t lie to her. I just couldn’t. Could I?
I finished my wine, and stood, frozen in place. Somehow, I forced one foot in front of the other, moving towards her. She looked at me, nervous, confused. I don’t think she knew what to say or do at that point.
I pulled her into my arms, holding her gently. I swept the hair away from her eyes, her gorgeous wisteria eyes, and placed it behind her ears. I leaned in slowly, and kissed her, feeling her lips pressed softly against mine. They lingered there, as long as I dared. “You’re not the only one with secrets. Once this is all over with, I fully intend to marry you. To hell with what anyone thinks or says. That is, if you’ll have me.” It left her breathless.
I tried to pull away from her, knowing that I needed to go. I would need to sleep. She held onto me and wouldn’t let go. “Stay,” she pleaded.
Who was I to tell her no?